Passion, according to psychologists, “is the energy, the feeling and the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” This passion is also the root of the energy that can help students to conquer the Mathematics phobia according to Miss Kohtisareh Sati a contestant in the on-going Season 5 of the Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics Television Quiz Show sponsored by Cowbell Milk, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited.
Kohtisareh, a student representing Baptist High School, Jos, Plateau State explained that; there is a feeling of satisfaction that a student enjoys, whenever a difficult Mathematics equation is solved. This kind of feeling she said, makes the impossible possible and eventually bring out the best in you.
She added that Mathematics is much more than just a set of numbers. “What really interests me about Mathematics is how precise and logical it is and how you can find it in the world around us. It is like everything in the world follows some kind of Mathematical law, like the wave equations, etc,” she said.
In the senior category preliminary Group G (week 7) contest last weekend in Lagos, Kohtisareh and Akinyemi Dabira of the Ambassador College, Ota, Ogun State progressed to the semi-final stage at the expense of four of their colleagues.
Those who could not cross the hurdle include Agom Joseph from Top Faith International Secondary School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; Ndoh Joel of Marist Brothers Juniorate, Uturu, Abia State; Ojo Oluwatobi, a student of Apt Scholars College, Abeokuta, Ogun State and Simon Michael from Air Force Comprehensive School, Yobe, Adamawa State.
In the junior category, the duo of Ayomikun Fasesin of Eucaristic Heart Of Jesus Model College, Ilorin, Kwara State, and Bello Aliyu of Iqra Science Academy Jalingo, Taraba state sailed into the semi-finals.
Those who dropped from the round include Yusuf Adamu of Top Onward International College, Kastina, Kastina State; Umar Kaoje, Nigeria Tulip International Colleges Boys Section, Abuja; Ebubechukwu Nwodo of Grunditive International Secondary School, Oba, Anambra State; and Emmanuel Nwogu of Pac College, Egbeada , Imo state.
Ayomikun, who spends an average of six hours daily to practice Mathematics is banking on this to give him an edge as the competition progresses. “I have practiced and solved the Mathematics syllabus from the beginning to the end in my junior level and now I am good to go,” he said.
The quiz shows which will run for 13 weeks is divided into nine preliminary stages and three semi-finals before the grand finale in November 2019. The organisers also promised that this year’s edition would be more educative and fun-filled as Cowbellpedia is committed to “nurturing great inventors”.
Aside the N2 million grand prize, Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Anders Einarsson disclosed that the winner in each of categories, (Junior and Senior) will enjoy an all-expense paid educational excursion outside the country at the end of the initiative.
In addition, the first and second runners-up in each category will receive N1.5 million and N1 million respectively, while the teachers of the top prize winners will be awarded N500, 000. Those of the first and second runners-up will receive N400, 000 and N300, 000 respectively.
The 2019 edition of Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematic TV Quiz continues this weekend. It will be aired on DSTV Africa Magic Family Channel, AIT Network and other six television stations across the country.
